The majority of smartphone buyers in India, a market known for its price-sensitive consumers, still choose devices that cost less than Rs 30,000. The effects of inflation and the overall economic downturn are already being felt in the smartphone market. Most gadgets are now much more expensive than they once were, and this season’s newest models are being released at a premium. Just in the last 6 weeks, we have seen an influx of smartphone launches, and given the variety of options now available, selecting a high-quality smartphone may be challenging. You’ve come to the right place if you’re looking for the best smartphone under Rs 30,000. We have listed down some of the best offerings in this price range from brands like iQOO, Redmi, and Samsung. So, without further ado, let’s get started.
iQOO Neo 7
The iQOO Neo 7 appears to be a reliable mobile gaming companion and will not let you down in terms of performance. The phone packs a 6.78-inch Full-HD+ AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. It is powered by the MediaTek Dimensity 8200 SoC which makes its India debut on the Neo7. When it comes to optics, the Neo7 falls a little short. The smartphone has a triple rear camera setup with a 64MP primary camera, two 2MP secondary cameras, and a 16MP front-facing camera for selfies. Other features on the Neo7 include a 5,000mAh battery with support for 120W fast charging, FuntouchOS 13 based on Android 13 out of the box, guaranteed updates till Android 15, and much more.
Price: Rs 29,999 for the 8GB + 128GB model and Rs 33,999 for the 12GB + 256GB model
POCO X5 Pro
In comparison to the POCO X4 Pro from the previous year, the POCO X5 Pro is a major step forward. The handset now comes with a gorgeous 6.67-inch FHD+ AMOLED panel with up to 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, along with Dolby Vision and HDR10+ support. The Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G SoC, which powers the X5 Pro, is outdated, but it still easily handles daily tasks. In terms of cameras, the X5 Pro has a triple rear camera setup with a 108MP main camera, an 8MP ultra-wide sensor, and a 2MP macro sensor. There is a 16MP camera on the front for taking selfies. The phone draws its power from a 5,000mAh battery with 67W fast charging support and comes with features like dual 5G support, a side-mounted fingerprint sensor, and an IR blaster.
Price: Rs 22,999 for the 6GB + 128GB model and Rs 24,999 for the 8GB + 256GB model
Redmi Note 12 Pro Plus
Redmi has surpassed its reputation as a maker of budget smartphones this year with the Note 12 Pro Plus. The Redmi Note 12 Pro Plus now starts barely under Rs 30,000 and comes with a large 6.67-inch Full HD+ AMOLED panel with a variable refresh rate that can adjust between 30/60/90/120Hz. It has a MediaTek Dimensity 1080 5G SoC, up to 12GB of LPDDR4X RAM, and 256GB of UFS 2.2 storage, a combo that makes sure the phone delivers a smoother experience. The phone performs admirably in terms of optics, with a 200MP primary sensor on the back and assistance from an 8MP ultrawide angle sensor and a 2MP macro sensor, while a 16MP camera is concealed inside the punch-hole for selfies. Other features on the phone include a 4,980mAh battery with 120W fast charging support, a 3.5mm audio jack, an IP rating, Android 12 with MIUI 13 on top, and a promise of 2 significant Android upgrades and 4 years of security updates.
Price: Rs 29,999 for the 8GB + 256GB model and Rs 32,999 for the 12GB + 256GB model
Samsung Galaxy A23
The Samsung Galaxy A23 5G, which was just released last month, features a 6.6-inch LCD panel with Full HD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. The phone has enough power thanks to a Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 SoC, which is paired with up to 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. The Galaxy A23 has a quad camera setup on the back that includes a 50MP main sensor with OIS, a 5MP ultra-wide angle sensor, a 2MP depth sensor, and a 2MP macro camera. Going over the feature list, the latest Galaxy handset packs a large 5,000mAh battery that supports 25W fast charging. The phone also includes a side-mounted fingerprint sensor and Samsung’s Knox Security suite as an added bonus. Samsung promises two significant Android updates and three and a half years of security patch updates for the Galaxy A23, which ships with OneUI 5.0 based on Android 13.
Price: Rs 22,999 for the 6GB + 128GB model and Rs 24,999 for the 8GB + 128GB model
OPPO Reno8 T
The OPPO Reno8 T is the most recent member of the Reno8 family. The handset sports a 6.7-inch AMOLED panel with a Full HD+ resolution and a 120Hz refresh rate. It is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 695 5G SoC and paired with up to 12GB RAM and 256GB storage. The Reno8 T features a triple camera setup on the back with a 108MP main sensor which gets support from a 2MP depth and a 2MP microscope sensor. A 32MP camera on the front of the device handles selfies and video calls. The Reno8 T has a vast feature list that includes an in-display fingerprint scanner, stereo speakers, dual-band WiFi, and a 4,800mAh battery with support for 67W fast charging.
Price: Rs 29,999 for the 8GB + 128GB model
